The Testing of Wills
by SocialSuicide
Summary: FINISHED. Now that I think of it, it's more like a parody, which wasn't really a part of the Stargate Atlantis canon, not that Fanfiction usually is, and I don't really like it, but you might.
1. Infiltration

The Testing of Wills.  
  
She came through under the protective veil of a personal cloaking device. She'd gotten it from the supply locker. Nobody saw her, not even when she was visible. She was careful not to touch anyone or anything, even as she walked to the main control and sent a small message back through.  
  
And then she got to work.  
  
She had no idea how she knew where she was going, she just knew. She went there direct, and they said, "Oh, the power is spiking, but that could be just phantom surges in the power generators, this is a big place, y'know."  
  
She branded them fools. There were two she found particularly interesting, though neither of them knew she was there, watching them.  
  
They made her laugh.  
  
Of the others, one was arrogant, one talked...a lot. And the other was innocent, with lofty ideals for how mankind should be, and with no explanation for how it got to be how it was. She kind of pitied that one.  
  
Then there were the children.  
  
They ran around, playing games, pointlessly trying to impress one another.  
  
Acceptance. Popularity. Status.  
  
Sheep.  
  
"Ma-a-a." she said at them, and they turned to see who was there, but the didn't. She could not be seen, because she did not wish to be seen.  
  
Yet... 


	2. Communication

Disclaimer: can you see it? NO! because it doesn't matter.  
  
The Testing of Wills  
  
Ch. 2  
  
"Um, 'scuze me, Major, but have you been messing around with the loud speaker system?" asked Rodney, as Sheppard walked past him. John looked confused and stopped, turning and walking towards Rodney.  
  
"No, why?" he asked. "Something wrong with it?"  
  
"Not exactly." said the Canadian scientist. "Just...some of the kids have been complaining about hearing laughter in the halls when they're playing, I was just checking into it." he explained. Major Sheppard looked confused.  
  
"Laughter?" he asked. Rodney nodded.  
  
"I know, isn't it weird?"  
  
At that, there was an explosion of giggles over the loud speaker, and everyone jumped, especially Rodney. Major Sheppard's grip on his weapon tightened.  
  
"Who is that?" he asked.  
  
"Oh, how typical. You want to know who I am." came the loud, disembodied voice. "I'm very disappointed that you can't think of anything more important that you want to ask me."  
  
Rodney listened and determined that the voice was female. Probably under twenty, although they might have a voice changer. He couldn't tell, the voice didn't sound tinny, like it would, coming through such a device.  
  
"Whoever you are, how did you get into Atlantis?"  
  
Whoever it was gave a rather rude snort, which sounded like a minor explosion coming through the loud speaker. Or a sneeze.  
  
"Geseundheit." Rodney said, almost automatically, and there was a short pause before another eruption of hysterical laughing. Sheppard, Weir, and Aidan looked at Rodney, who shrugged, but didn't look up at them. Teyla ran into the room and looked at Sheppard and Weir.  
  
"What do you want?" asked Weir. The laughing gradually decreased.  
  
"I'll never te-ell." came the sing-song reply. Major Sheppard, a connoisseur of movies and such, raised an eyebrow and mentally logged this away with the reaction to a German word.  
  
"Please," continued Weir. "We formally request that you explain yourself, or we will be forced to find you ourselves and—"  
  
"Quiet, little woman." came the rough reply. "Don't tell me what to do. And you'll do nothing of the sort. You don't know where I am, and even if you did, You're no warrior."  
  
A stretch of quiet filled the gate room, followed by a quiet chuckling. Rodney went to the controls of the room and studied it, typing in a few commands before the entire panel turned off, the light fizzling out. Everyone looked at him and he held up his hands, indicating that he hadn't touched anything.  
  
"Naughty, naughty." said the voice, and Rodney looked pale, like he was about to "pass out" again. Right about then, Jinto ran into the gate room and ran to Teyla, who put a protective arm around him. "Aw." patronized the voice.  
  
"She can see us." Rodney said, slightly in awe.  
  
"brilliant deduction, Doctor."  
  
"Why are you here?"  
  
"That explanation is yet to come. If you survive, that is."  
  
The others looked around madly.  
  
"Survive WHAT?!?"  
  
But there was no answer. The power to the console returned, but Rodney didn't move towards it. There needed to be a power surge to look for, and she was done talking, whoever she was. It got very cold in the gate room as everyone imagined the worst possible scenario.  
  
Someone of undeterminable species, intelligence, and alliance had infiltrated the base and was screwing with their systems.  
  
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"Okay, we know she's somewhere with consoles, but that could be anywhere. We haven't even been to half of the city. It would take months to find her if she keeps blacking out our controls when she's talking." Rodney said, as he, Weir, Sheppard, Teyla and Aidan sat in their briefing room. "And she can see us, which is confusing to me, because we can't do that from the gate room."  
  
"Someone with advanced knowledge of the Ancient technology?" Weir asked.  
  
"Obviously not from Earth." Rodney said.  
  
"Mmm. Not that obvious." Sheppard said. They looked at him and he shrugged.  
  
"She made references to Earth culture. She knew what Geseundheit meant. She quoted from a psychological thriller flick. She said 'Doctor', not healer, or whatever they call scientists in this galaxy. She sounded like a native Earthling to me. She doesn't talk like anyone we've met in this galaxy." he said. The others shook her head, and Aidan sat up a little straighter.  
  
"Sir, that doesn't mean she's from Earth. I mean, she could have thought that Geseundheit sounded funny. And you don't know that she actually quoted 'Say Nothing.' I mean, for all we know, this could be an Ancient fail safe, or some sort of Pegasus hacker, playing games."  
  
"What is a hacker?" asked Teyla.  
  
"They can get into any information or operation system and mess around with it. The good ones any way." explained Rodney. "The point is, she could be anywhere in the entire city. Hell, if she's as good as I'm beginning to think she is, she could be listening right now, we would never know it. Our conversations are not safe. I'd be afraid to go to sleep at night with someone like this loose."  
  
"You already are afraid to go to sleep at night." Sheppard joked, and Aidan laughed. Rodney looked agitated.  
  
"Yes, that's right, laugh." he snapped. "We have a potentially dangerous person of unknown origins running around on our enclosed island and you want to make jokes."  
  
"Rodney, calm down."  
  
Rodney sat and took a deep breath.  
  
What happened next was bone-chilling.  
  
The voice came back. But instead of speech, a long, blood curdling scream erupted from the loud-speaker, causing everyone to jump, and a couple of them to curse. Then there was silence and the voice, calm as ever, said, "Careful, Doctor McKay. You'll give yourself a heart attack."  
  
And with that, McKay promptly fainted. 


	3. Punishment

Disclaimer: I'm glad that those two of you who have reviewed like my story, It took a while to think of a character like this disembodied voice. The plot, too. So, here's the third chapter. Oh, and I don't own Stargate.  
  
The Testing of Wills.  
  
Chapter Three.  
  
"Yeh're fine, Rodney." said doctor Beckett, with his rolling Scottish accent (drool). "She scared ye pretty badly, but yeh're no' having a heart attack."  
  
"You're sure?"  
  
"Yes!" laughed the doctor. "Now get up, yeh're wasting a perfectly good hospital bed." Rodney paused and then got up and looked around before turning to the good doctor.  
  
"It's just...you know when you're little, and you're scared of something. Monster under the bed, or in the closet, or behind the water heater..." Beckett raised an eyebrow and Rodney shrugged, "Long story. Anyway, you're only scared of the noises, or concept. Once you find out nothings there, the fear stops. Well this is the fear without revelation. I'm scared out of my mind."  
  
Beckett nodded. Rodney looked around again, stuck his hands in his pockets and left, leaving Carson Beckett alone in the medical wing. He looked around at the big empty room and sighed to himself.  
  
"Ghost stories." he said, shaking his head.  
  
And with that he went to his little desk, where he kept his novel. He had brought his library with him. It was a big library, but actually, most of it was on laser disk anyway.  
  
He flipped the top of his laptop up and froze, taking in a deep breath slowly as he stared at the words that were typing themselves onto the screen.  
  
I AM HERE....  
  
AND I AM VERY REAL, CARSON BECKETT....  
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"Well, she hasn't said anything for a while." Sheppard commented, casually to Aidan.  
  
"Yup." replied the darker American. Then he sighed, looking at Weir. "I'm gonna go find something more exciting to do. Like patrol the hallways rounding up stray children." he said. Weir nodded, and over in the corner of the room, three other G.I's walked out the door, fixing their headsets. Aidan looked at Teyla. "Care to join me, Teyla?"  
  
"I guess." came the unsure reply. Sheppard watched them go and noted that if Aidan didn't loosen up on his posture, whoever was watching them would never buy this act.  
  
"Stay outta trouble." he called after them.

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She watched them on the display panel that hung over the main consol and her eyes narrowed.  
  
"Mice in my little maze," she started. "Should not cut corners or attack their owner."  
  
Pressing a few buttons, she watched with smug satisfaction as bulkhead doors closed all around Teyla and Aidan, trapping them in a small enclosed area. Another button focused the sprinklers in that area and turned them on.  
  
"You've been naughty." she said, red-orange eyes dancing with sadistic glee. "You must be punished."  
00000000000000000000000000000000  
"Major Sheppard!" called Aidan over his walkie. He sounded concerned.  
  
"Go ahead, Ford."  
  
"It didn't work sir, we're trapped." Aidan replied.  
  
"Trapped like the rats you are." came the voice. Almost automatically, Rodney looked at the display panel. He moved towards it as if to do something and it went dark. "Ah-ah-ah. Don't do anything rash, Dr. Rodney McKay. I may be forced to think of you next."  
  
He swallowed, and Sheppard looked at him.  
  
"Sir, the room is filling up with water. She turned on the sprinklers! The doors won't open!" came Aidan's voice again. "I'm going to try that trick that McKay had me try last time."  
  
Rodney stepped forward, eyes wide open.  
  
"No! Don't!"  
  
There was a scream over the walkie talkie as Aidan was thrown out of the water by the electrical force put out by the crossing of Ancient technology and water, which turned out to be just as bad as human technology and water.  
  
"Lieutenant Ford." Sheppard called. "Ford! Aidan, are you there?"  
  
"Sheppard, this is Teyla."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Aidan is unconscious."  
  
"Is he breathing?" asked Rodney.  
  
"I will check."  
  
Teyla knelt next to Aidan in the ankle deep water and bent down to check if he was breathing. When she felt no breath, and heard no heartbeat, she began to get frantic.  
  
"He is not breathing, Major Sheppard."  
  
Sheppard's stomach clenched into knots.  
  
"Okay, Teyla, stay calm. CPR, just like I taught you. pump his chest five times and then three short breaths." he said, trying to force the calm into his voice. Teyla listened and then nodded, setting the walkie down and unzipping Aidan's vest. She quickly remembered what Sheppard had taught her, even as her own breathing became erratic. She was panicking, and with good reason. The water was quickly becoming too high for CPR.  
  
She breathed into his mouth, but she could not pump his chest without pushing him under the water. Thinking quickly as her heart beat a frantic tattoo on the inside of her ribcage, she braced her knees under him so that his back was braced, and pushed hard, five times. Then she listened, covering her other ear so that it blocked out as much rushing water as it could.  
  
Buh...buh-duh...  
  
A heartbeat. Faint, but there. She held her hand scant centimeters from his face. Still no air. The water was rising further still, so she pinched his nose, covered his mouth with hers and breathed, forcing air into his mouth in the hopes that his body would pick up the pace on his own.  
  
"Teyla? You there?"  
  
She ignored the walkie talkie, fearing it would mean the death of her teammate.  
  
She was standing now, bent over Aidan's floating carcass (No, he's still alive, I just like that word.) as she breathed into his lungs, filled her own with fresh air, and blew into his mouth again. The water was getting waist deep...up to her ribs...  
  
Then she heard something.  
  
"Stupid door."  
  
She froze, and was about to call out to that person for help when the door slid open, and a very surprised Carson Beckett ended up on the receiving end of a personal waterslide. The water swept the three unfortunates up and carried them down the hall about fifty feet. When they rolled, slid, and all in all came to a full and complete stop, Teyla looked at Aidan, who was now breathing at his own, labored pace.  
  
"Doctor Beckett...I...owe you...many thanks." Teyla said, as she sat up, breathing heavily. He nodded.  
  
"Sure...A-anatime." he said, still very confused about what had just happened.  
  
"Teyla, you there?" came a small, distant voice. The Athosian leader looked around and saw the walkie talkie lying nearby, so she picked it up.  
  
"I am here, Sheppard. The danger has passed. Aidan is breathing, and Doctor Beckett and I will now take him to the infirmary." she said. There was much cheering on the other end. Teyla managed a weak smile and got to her feet.  
  
She and Beckett carried Aidan between them as they walked unsteadily down the hall.


	4. Attempted solution

Disclaimer: Do not own, blahdy blahdy blah. And read my new profile, gosh darn.I'm beginning to think you people are avoiding my challenges. pouty face  
  
The Testing of Wills  
  
Ch. 4  
  
"Will he be okay?" asked Rodney.  
  
"Yes, but I do wish he'd get over this lack of self preservation." answered Dr. Beckett.  
  
"He does get injured astoundingly often." commented Sheppard.  
  
"Mm-hmm." Rodney added.  
  
"Good work, Teyla." said Weir, and Teyla, still soaking wet, nodded.  
  
"Thank you doctor Weir." she said.  
  
Beckett, McKay, Sheppard, Weir, and Teyla were in the medical bay, hovering over Aidan's recovering form. Rodney looked down at Aidan as he spoke.  
  
"So what do we do about our troublemaker?" he asked, and when Weir looked at him strangely, he glanced around them. She blinked once, but other than that, she made no move that acknowledge that he was talking about their visitor.  
  
"We'll keep him here, but in the meantime, we're back to regular schedule. We haven't even explored half of this city yet." she replied, nodding. He looked around at the others. Sheppard furrowed his brow and looked up from his friend.  
  
"Wait a minute, what about—"he started, but Rodney kicked him in the shin and threw him a look, and he switched tack. "My team?" he saved, and Rodney sighed in relief. "We're one man short."  
  
"Find a short term replacement." Weir said, and Sheppard nodded.  
  
"Yes ma'am."  
  
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She looked at her new workspace and nodded.  
  
"This is satisfactory." she said to herself. Then she switched on the systems, made sure the area was secure, and decided to check up on her subjects.  
  
Today was going to be a fun day.  
  
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"Well, we didn't find anything of interest in the section we searched today, it's basically the same as the other ones. A lot of doors, a lot of those teleporters, and some empty science labs." reported Sheppard, exchanging a meaningful glance with Weir. She nodded, and he left.  
  
Rodney, who had been working at a console, froze and looked around suddenly before looking at Weir, who caught his glance and began her casual jaunt over to his station.  
  
"Find anything, Rodney?"  
  
"Yep. Her."  
  
Weir raised her eyebrows and looked at the screen on the console. It showed a power surge in a part of the city that had already been explored. In fact, it looked like the lab that the electric black cloud had come from. Thank goodness it wasn't still there.  
  
"Excellent. I'll send Sheppard."  
  
"Send Swasky instead." Rodney said quietly. Weir hesitated and then nodded, before leaving to make sure it got done. Rodney had a feeling that their visitor would not suffer intruders lightly.  
  
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Captain Swasky motioned his team in place and then clicked on his walkie talkie.  
  
"Ready to move in, Doctor Weir."  
  
"Try to take her alive for questioning."  
  
"Copy that."  
  
They moved into the small area and Swasky touched the area on the screen where they wanted to go. The door closed and They disappeared. When the door opened for them next, they found themselves staring at their intruder, who was holding her hand over a button. They froze, and she smiled.  
  
"You seem to be lost." she said pleasantly, though her red-orange eyes seemed to counteract that amicable attitude. She tilted her closely shorn head and bared her teeth, which were sharp. "Allow me to redirect you."  
  
And with that, she pushed the button. They were sent elsewhere in the city, and she closed the doors around them, without the sprinklers this time. She turned off the panels that would normally open the doors, and then she turned her attention to the gate room, where the others were trying to hail their friends.  
  
"Swasky, are you there?"  
  
She smiled as she spoke to them.  
  
"I'm sorry, he's not available. How may I help you?" she asked.  
  
Sheppard and Weir shared a look with Rodney, and they looked around.  
  
"Where are they?"  
  
"Somewhere else."  
  
"Where?" demanded Weir.  
  
"Why in the name of the Pegasus would I tell you?" asked the voice, and Rodney blinked several times. The Pegasus? That was the name of the Galaxy, true, but what was she talking about?  
  
"Because if you don't we'll just keep looking for you." Sheppard answered, quickly. There was laughter over the loudspeaker, and then the voice scoffed.  
  
"You would keep looking anyway. Find them yourself. If you can."  
  
There was silence again, and Rodney thought for a moment before leaving. He left without telling anyone, and Weir watched him go, but didn't say anything. She knew him well enough to trust that he wouldn't put himself in danger.  
  
Then she thought for a moment.  
  
This was Rodney they were talking about...  
  
Crap... 


	5. Engaging the target

Disclaimer: Don't forget to check my profile for challenges that you can write for yourself. There's no prize or anything, just want to see what other people can do with my ideas. They change weekly (or are supposed to), so check often. Oh, and I don't own anyone but the intruder with red eyes and sharp, pointy teeth.  
  
The Testing of Wills.  
  
Ch. 5  
  
Rodney was in his suit before he really even thought about forming a plan. He had his weapon before he had one that was plausible in his head, and he was halfway down the hallway before he realized that he was going to need help. And since he wanted to get through this plan before their visitor had time to find out about it, he went for the person nearest him.  
  
"Carson, put this on and make it quick." Rodney said, as he tossed a vest at the good doctor. Dr. Beckett looked at the vest and then at Rodney, all dressed up and carrying two weapons. "C'mon, hurry up!" insisted the anthropologist, and Carson sighed, pulling it on. He really should have asked for a reason, but he really didn't think he wanted to know. Rodney handed him the second gun, which was smaller than the one Rodney himself carried, and motioned for Carson to follow as he walked down the hall.  
  
"We're not abou' to do wha' I think we're abou' to do, are we?" Carson asked. Rodney didn't answer, but when they got to the teleporter, he looked around and then looked at the doctor.  
  
"When the doors to the lab open, jump out and run for cover before she can shut the doors again, okay?" he asked, more for clarification than verification. Carson groaned quietly to himself and the two of them walked into the transporter, preparing to spring out again.  
  
When the doors opened, they sprang out, and barely avoided being crushed by the doors as their hacker attempted to close them prematurely. Carson got up and looked around for cover, but then he saw the intruder and stopped.  
  
"Wait a minu'. Are you wha' this fuss is all abou'?" he asked, and Rodney's head popped out from behind a console to yell at Carson for stopping to question the person who had almost killed Aidan Ford, a very capable if not injury prone lieutenant. The warning caught in his throat as he took in the sight of their alien intruder.  
  
"Well," Rodney said, standing up and walking out to stand next to Carson. The two of them stared at the young woman as she glared daggers at them, and he took a deep breath. "So much for the monster in the closet syndrome."  
  
"Oh, aye, Rodney. She's a fierce beast, eh?" teased the Scottish doctor. Rodney sulked.  
  
"Shut up." he said. Then he turned to the girl, who looked to be about thirteen, despite her strange eye color. "Come on, you." he said, and she narrowed her eyes further. "You're going to have to explain yourself to Doctor Weir."  
  
"It was very wrong, wha' ye did, playin' around with all those things." added Dr. Beckett, much like a father would to a daughter. "Ye could have hurt someone."  
  
"That was my intent." she said, and they stopped, but only for a second. Then Rodney went to grab her arm, only to be thrown across the room in one, effortless motion. Carson cursed and backed away, pointing the gun in her direction.  
  
"Rodney, are ye okay?" asked the doctor, and there came a responding groan. The girl smirked, and turned back to her console. She worked at it for a few moments and then a small shield shimmered into existence around her. Carson held his groan back, but barely. "Perfect."  
  
"Wazzat?" asked the stunned scientist. Carson glanced at him and then looked back at the girl.  
  
"Who are ye and why are ye doing this?"  
  
"I am none of your business, and you are not fit to be here." she responded. Instead of her usual upbeat manner however, she seemed livid. Edging closer, Carson tried to see what she was looking at but couldn't. It was like she was seeing things he couldn't.  
  
"Whaddya mean, not fit to be here?" demanded Rodney, getting to his feet.  
  
"Your species is clumsy and foolish. You go to places where you are not welcome and try to barter for things that you do not deserve to know about. You have visited six worlds, and on each one, you could not even stay out of trouble for one hour. What is worse, you have woken up the destroyers of worlds, with no way to defend against them or protect those whom you have unleashed the destroyers upon." she said, her working becoming more and more furious. Carson shared a look with Rodney that plainly said that this girl was bonkers.  
  
"None of that was our fault." Rodney defended. She bleated in response. "Listen, if you're trying to get us to leave, just because you don't like us, you've got another thing coming."  
  
"This is our home now, we can't go back to where we came from." Beckett added, in an attempt to be useful. The girl only scoffed.  
  
"If I wanted you to leave, I would have opened the wormhole and ordered you to go." she snapped, red-orange eyes flicking back and forth, still looking at nothing. Her fingers had stopped moving, but Carson and Rodney could see that commands were still being given.  
  
"Well if you don't want us to leave, then what?" demanded Rodney. She stopped, and she looked at them, and her cold stare sent icy daggers of fear into their hearts.  
  
"I want you to die."  
  
A/N: Gasp!! Okay, sorry, short one, but it all gets explained...eventually. and this is not a self insertion, or she'd be taller and older and stuff. anyway, review, I wanna know if you like it or not. And I'm sorry for mangling Carson's speech pattern, but he is Scottish. 


	6. Complications

Disclaimer: Don't own, and sorry for my mistake in chappie five, which is to say, Rodney is an astrophysicist, not an anthropologist. I don't know what I was thinking about when I wrote that. Bad information from an untrustworthy source, I guess. My bad.  
  
The Testing of Wills  
  
Ch. 6  
  
Lights went out all over the city, and doors shut when people went to open them. Everybody was trapped somewhere, and they all knew who was responsible for it. Many panicked, others tried to keep their calm, and still others tried to free themselves in order to stop this menace.  
  
They couldn't have known it was pointless to try.  
  
Everybody was trying something except the children, who were all huddled together, crying and screaming for help. She didn't pay any attention to them. What could children do, anyway, when the adults couldn't do anything?  
  
"You...want us to...wait, what?!" exclaimed Rodney, and she ignored him, eyes flicking back and forth as she gave the city's computer silent commands.  
  
"Personally, I think tha' was much too clear to be repeated." said Carson, who looked a little green.  
  
"We don't even know you, why do you want to kill us?" Rodney asked, confused. She glanced at him before looking at the computer.  
  
"You woke up the most dangerous species in the galaxy, and you sit here, doing nothing, asking me why I could possibly want to stop you from interfering any further. Hmmm..." she said, rolling her eyes. Rodney looked at her incredulously.  
  
"You know I think Sheppard was right. You snuck here from Earth, didn't you?"  
  
"Don't be ridiculous. I wouldn't be a part of your pathetic race if the membership was free with no hidden fees." she snapped. "I don't need to be a human to memorize everything about them."  
  
"So you're obviously a higher being than us. After all, you figured out how to use this stuff." he said, still looking floored by her revelation. "And now you're going to use this higher knowledge to kill people? And here I thought you were some monster." he practically dripped sarcasm.  
  
"Don't patronize me, little man." she snapped, and lights appeared above and below the astrophysicist. He looked at them, confused.  
  
"Wha—" he stopped short and froze, jaw clenched and eyes nearly bugging out of his head. Carson looked at him and then at the girl, who was not even looking at them.  
  
"What are you doing to him?" he demanded. There was no answer, but moments later, the lights shut off and Rodney collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily and curled up as he tried to dispel the pain that coursed through his body.  
  
"Ow." he gasped out finally. At this, the young girl hacker burst into hysterical giggles, and Carson gaped at her.  
  
"How can ye laugh? Yeh're inflicting pain. Tha's no' funny."  
  
"I disagree. And according to your history, so does your entire race." she said, calmly. Carson rolled his eyes.  
  
"Would ye listen to yehrself! Yeh're like some automaton! What are ye, a fecking robot?" he yelled, and Rodney winced as he tried to sit up.  
  
"That may not be the wisest course of action, doc." he ground out. The girl looked at Carson's red face and smirked.  
  
"I knew eventually one of you would figure it out." she said, and the two of them stopped, staring at her. And she laughed.  
  
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Jinto looked at his friends, and then around at the walls. His friends were scared, but he knew that Major Sheppard would be looking for a way out, so he was looking for a secret door, or an access hatch, like he always saw the people from Earth crawling in. He saw one on the far wall and ran quickly to it, grabbing the handle and pulling on it. It twisted a little to the left, so he turned the handle in the hopes of opening the small door, and was pleased to watch it swing open.  
  
"Yes." he said quietly, crawling in and closing the door behind him.  
  
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"Yeh're a robot?" Carson asked. She giggled.  
  
"Oh aye, Doctor Beckett, and a right good one I am, too, eh?" she replied, putting on a Scottish accent.  
  
"That explains a lot." Rodney said. "Who made you?"  
  
"What does it matter? They're dead." she snarled, her fingers tightening on the console. Carson watched her fingers and noticed that they were sort of...pulsing.  
  
"What, were they naughty creators? Did you kill them too?" Rodney asked, none too kindly. The Hacker's red eyes focused on Rodney and narrowed dangerously.  
  
"How. Dare. You." she said, through her clenched and pointed teeth. The lights appeared again and Rodney collapsed on the floor, his entire body clenching from the concentrated pain. Carson glanced between them and stepped forward.  
  
"Stop it!" he yelled.  
  
He didn't know who was more surprised when she did stop. Rodney or himself.  
  
"My creators were killed by those...things that YOU unleashed." she yelled at them, bristling as she turned back to the console.  
  
"They killed your people, so now yeh're going to kill ours?" Carson asked. "Tha' makes all the bloody sense in the world, now doesn' it?"  
  
"..."  
  
"Listen, li'l girl. Yeh've memorized our hist'ry, fantastic. We have been violent, yes, but we're no' all like tha'. And we didn' set the wraith on your people. They follow their own rules, so don' ye go pinnin' this on us."  
  
She shook her head.  
  
"You are all like that. Full of your own ideals that you want to force on other cultures."  
  
"No!" Carson snapped, and she looked at him. "If we were all like tha', the Athosians wouldn' be here. We brought them here to protect them."  
  
"Yeah," put in Rodney, who was just lying on the ground. Carson glanced at him.  
  
She bleated.  
  
"Would you stop?!" Rodney yelled. "That's annoying."  
  
"It is an accurate description. You are all sheep. You do all the same things, the same way, and no one ever questions their place." she replied flippantly.  
  
"Nobody here wants to die! If that makes us sheep then you're right, we are." Rodney argued back.  
  
"Of course I'm right."  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Fine!"  
  
"Stop it, both of ye. Yeh're acting like children. I expected as much from ye, Rodney, but yeh're supposed to be superior, so just shut up!" snapped Carson, from nerves and annoyance and the surrealism of the situation. She looked at him, confusion broadcasting in her demonic looking eyes.  
  
"That is an interesting negotiation tactic, Dr. Beckett." she said.  
  
00000000000000000000000000000  
  
Major Sheppard looked at Weir as he threw down the crowbar that he and a few others had tried to use to open the gate room doors.  
  
"It's useless. Whatever she's doing to hack the system, she's pretty good at it." he said. Weir shook her head.  
  
"This is the worst thing that could happen to us. We don't even know who she is, and she's anticipated all of our movements, like a rather disconcerting game of cat and mouse."  
  
"And we're the mice. I hate that." Sheppard agreed.  
  
"We must do something, or she will kill us all." Teyla said. Then they stopped, looking at the ceiling as something thumped above them. Sheppard grabbed his gun and Teyla took up hers as well, preparing to fire at any enemy.  
  
A hatch opened above the balcony and they watched as Jinto almost fell out.  
  
"Whoa!" he yelped. Teyla and Sheppard raced up the stairs, followed by Weir.  
  
"Jinto, what are you doing here?' asked Sheppard, smiling. Jinto smiled back.  
  
"The other children were too scared to do anything. I had to do something." he explained. Sheppard nodded and then reached up to help him down.  
  
"Good idea, Jinto, we'll take it from here." he said. Teyla put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Wait. You are too big. You would make too much noise." she said. Major John Sheppard looked at her and then at Weir before nodding.  
  
"You're right. Jinto. Squirrel around up there and see if you can't find out intruder. But don't get hurt, okay?" he ordered. Jinto nodded vigorously and turned to go. "Oh, wait." he said. He jogged down the steps and went to the dialing console, reaching under it and pulling out a very familiar weapon. He brought it back with him and ignored the looks of outrage that he was getting from Weir. "It's called a zat gun." he said, showing the boy how to work it. "One shot stuns, two shots kill, and three shots disintegrate. Only shoot once, okay?" he asked. Jinto nodded and Sheppard handed it to him. When he wriggled away, they closed the hatch.  
  
And Sheppard turned to face Weir's wrath. 


	7. Hoping

Disclaimer: Okay, now that I've added complications, it may be hard for me to keep track of them. Remind me someone, anyone, if I miss something.  
  
The Testing of Wills  
  
Ch. 7  
  
Carson and the younger girl stared at each other for a long moment, the both of them trying to think of what to say next. He personally had no idea what to do, having never been in a situation of this sort. She was just confused by his manners. He'd yelled at her. Most people who were practically being held hostage by a more powerful being than themselves did not yell at them.  
  
Rodney had fallen silent, sulking because he was in pain and Beckett was yelling at him.  
  
"What's yer name?" Carson asked suddenly, and the girl robot blinked, rapidly.  
  
"What do you care?" she snapped back. Rodney suddenly found his voice.  
  
"Well, we can't very well call you robot, can we?" he groused. She turned back to the console, and Carson watched as her fingers did that pulsing thing again. He took another step forward, fascinated in spite of himself.  
  
"My designation is Unit 26, technical maintenance." she replied.  
  
Carson got confused.  
  
"Tha's wha' they called ye?"  
  
"Yes," replied the mechanical teenager, her voice sharp, with the message, 'I dare you to make something of it.' written all over it. Carson nodded, still fascinated by the finger thing that she was doing.  
  
"Rodney, would you look at this?" he said, and she looked at him to finally notice that he was staring at her hands.  
  
"I can't move, Doc." Rodney said. Doctor Beckett looked at him and then knelt down, checking him to see if he was permanently damaged.  
  
"Yeh're fine."  
  
"Thanks for the assessment, but I'm not. If I was fine, there wouldn't be any pain." complained the scientist. Beckett rolled his eyes and then turned back to the problem of convincing 'Unit 26' not to kill everyone.  
  
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Jinto crawled through the small space, in search of the enemy that was trapping everyone, and stopped to rest.  
  
"This is taking forever," he mumbled to himself as he wiped sweat from his forehead. He heard voices off to one side and strained to listen. Moving closer, he found himself looking through a vent into a large room. There were three people in the room, but he couldn't see them He put his fingers through holes in the vent and pulled. When it wouldn't come loose, he pushed, pressing harder and harder until all his weight was against it.  
  
And it suddenly came loose, causing him to fall through and land noisily behind some boxes.  
  
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"You brought a zat gun through the Stargate?" demanded Weir.  
  
"No one was using it." he said, lamely.  
  
"What is this zat gun?" asked Teyla.  
  
"Zatnkitel. One of the weapons we found while exploring our galaxy."  
  
"Oh." Teyla said, somewhat confused. "And it is bad that you have brought this here?"  
  
"It was against the rules." Weir made sure to emphasize that.  
  
"Did it ever occur to you that some rules are meant to be broken?" Sheppard asked.  
  
"Not under my command."  
  
"Your command? You're a civilian!"  
  
"Enough of this fighting!!" shouted Teyla. "She has got us at each others throats! Whatever your differences, they do not matter now."  
  
There was a terse moment, in which The major and Doctor Elizabeth Weir stared at each other. Then Weir nodded, looking at Teyla.  
  
"You're right, Teyla, we should be figuring out a way to prevent this from happening." she said, and Teyla nodded. Sheppard watched Elizabeth leave, and then looked at Teyla.  
  
"Do you have any idea who could be doing this?"  
  
"No, none," she answered, shaking her head. "My people do not have the knowledge or the capability."  
  
"And the Wraith would just flat out invade." he mused. She nodded. "I doubt it was someone from Earth, either. We don't hurt our own. Plus we haven't been here that long, we barely know anything about this place."  
  
Teyla sat down next to Sheppard and they shook their heads.  
  
"This has been a bad day." Sheppard said. Teyla nodded.  
  
00000000000000000000000000000  
  
Carson went to check out the noise and then hurried to help Jinto to his feet.  
  
"Jinto, wha' are ye doing here?" he hissed, and then motioned for the boy to keep quiet.  
  
"Major Sheppard sent me to help, because I was the only one small enough to fit through the tubes in the ceiling." he replied, brandishing the zat gun. Beckett looked surprised, but only marginally.  
  
"Good lad. Now listen to me. Crawl back and tell Doctor Weir to listen very closely to her radio." he glanced over at Unit 26 to see she was enthralled with her torture of the Atlantis base. "And this is wha' she's listening fer."  
  
Jinto listened carefully to the healer, and when he was done, Carson gave him a boost and helped him back into the vent, looking cautiously at the robot girl as she sat with her back to him, giving commands to the computers.  
  
He hoped he was doing the right thing. 


	8. Congratulations

Disclaimer: This is where it gets interesting.  
  
The Testing of Wills  
  
Ch. 8  
  
"Listen...26, I know you probably don't like me right now, but is there any way that I can talk you out of this?" asked Rodney, from his paralyzed position on the floor. She tilted her head.  
  
"Nothing comes to mind." she answered, calmly. He was quiet for a moment.  
  
"Yeah, me neither."  
  
She actually stopped to look at him, and saw that Carson had taken a seat against the wall and was pondering.  
  
"You are annoying."  
  
"I get that a lot."  
  
There was a bit more silence.  
  
"I wan' to say something," started Carson carefully. "But I don't want ye to play with the lights until yeh've heard me out."  
  
26 looked at him and raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I'm listening." she said.  
  
"The Wraith killed yeh're creators, tha's wha' ye said yeh're reason was for retaliatin' against us. If you kill us, then yeh're provin' yerself to be no better than them. Yeh're actually kind of werse, because yeh're killin' out of hate. They only kill because they're mindless animals, when ye come right down to it."  
  
For a moment, he thought he saw her resolution waver, but then she was looking away from him, back into the air.  
  
"I'm not retaliating for my dead masters, although I have considered it. You have activated this great city, which obligates you, the holders of superior technology to prevent the destruction of multiple races by this scourge of space. You are not competent enough to handle such a responsibility." she debated, and Rodney opened his eyes.  
  
"We haven't been here that long. We're still learning. We can't be expected to take on everybody's problems without some on the job training first."  
  
"That is not an excuse."  
  
000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
Jinto dropped down into the gate room and looked around to see Major Sheppard, Teyla, and Doctor Weir walking towards them.  
  
"Doctor Weir!" he called, and handed the leader a walkie talkie. "Doctor Beckett told me to give you this and to tell you to turn to channel thirteen."  
  
"Where is Doctor Beckett, Jinto?" asked Teyla, and Jinto hesitated.  
  
"I found the room where they are trying to negotiate with the Hacker." he said. "Doctor Beckett was with Doctor McKay, who looked hurt."  
  
"Oh, great." groaned Sheppard.  
  
"But Doctor Beckett asked that you listen for him to say self- destruct. He said you would explain it."  
  
It got very cold in the gate room as Sheppard and Weir shared an anxious look.  
  
000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
"No, no, no, you've got us all wrong. We do not all do the same things, if we did, we'd still be Neanderthals. I mean, it would have taken forever for someone to invent the wheel for god sakes. We think quicker than those guys did." Rodney said, and Carson got the distinct impression that despite where this conversation was leading, 26 wasn't going to listen to them.  
  
It was plain to see that she was dedicated to the methodical torture and demise of each and every person in the city.  
  
"Let the wee ones go." he said, suddenly. She looked at him, distracted momentarily from her work.  
  
"I beg your pardon?" she asked. He looked her in the eyes.  
  
"The children. Let them go through the Stargate." He could tell that he had really shocked her by requesting such a thing, and when she didn't respond, he continued. "I'm a doctor. I'm dedicated to saving as many lives as I can." Still there was no response, and she looked as if she were studying him. "They're only kids for chrissakes!"  
  
She looked him over for a moment longer and nodded, working the controls once more.  
  
000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
"Attention, you inhabitants of this lost city. It is my belief that you have outlived your usefulness by waking the creatures known to us as the Wraith. It was my opinion that you should all die. However...I have been convinced to let the children of this community of incompetents survive. I will open a path to the Stargate, for the children only."  
  
Many parents cried at this news, and others hugged their little ones tightly, urging them to be strong for the challenges that lay ahead. Some children did not fully understand, and promised to return, while others begged to stay.  
  
"No one is to follow the children, to the gate room or through the Stargate, or I will kill all of you, regardless of age."  
  
True to her word, doors opened and hallways cleared, but adults made no move to escape, only herded the children towards their freedom of imminent doom.  
  
"Tha's right generous of ye, telling them tha' their parents are abou' to die." growled Carson, uncharacteristically sarcastic. There was no answer. In the gate room, an address was dialed with no one at the controls, and the wormhole opened.  
  
"Where's it lead?" Carson asked.  
  
"To a planet where the Wraith do not go." she answered, cryptically.  
  
"Somewhere with a breathable atmosphere, I hope." he muttered.  
  
He waited for what seemed like hours before she finally acknowledged that the children were gone. And he was quiet for a long time after that.  
  
"Well, Rodney, it has been a short time workin' with ye." he said.  
  
"I'll say. I didn't even get to blackmail you for anything remotely embarrassing." came the calm and yet pithy comeback. Carson laughed.  
  
"Doctor Weir. Self destruct."  
  
26 blinked as she registered the sentence as Carson unloaded the clip in the weapon that Rodney had given him. There was no effect of course, and he slumped against the wall afterwards, a somewhat defiant if defeated old Scot.  
  
"Self destruct?" asked 26. Carson nodded.  
  
"Aye." he affirmed.  
  
"You rigged Atlantis to blow sky high?"  
  
"Tha' we did." he responded. she cocked her head, turning a little towards him.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"To prevent technology such as this from falling into the wrong hands." he answered. "Even if ye were an enemy of the Wraith, they could still find ye and defeat ye, and then this city would be theirs. Tha' is no' something I'd wish on my werst enemy."  
  
There was a long, quiet, pregnant silence in which 26 assessed Dr. Beckett, and then nodded.  
  
"You would destroy that which could save us to protect us from that which would destroy us. How...honorable." she said.  
  
She looked back at the computer and then got back to work. There was a timer counting down, and some automated voice was given a verbal assessment of how many seconds were left on the clock. Carson was silently counting down the numbers as well, waiting for zero. And when it stopped after five, his confidence that they had defeated an enemy sank like a stone in the water.  
  
000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
"People of Atlantis, hear me."  
  
This single sentence was heard throughout the entire city, and everyone everywhere stopped in confusion.  
  
Sheppard looked at Weir, and then at Teyla, who was, rather awkwardly extracting herself from his embrace. Luckily nobody saw them.  
  
"_Congratulations_,"  
  
Carson looked up from his dark, and depressing last thoughts and looked at her to see she was giving him a cheeky grin. He quickly went from deep despair to deep confusion.  
  
"You've passed the test." she announced. Working quickly, she turned the consoles back on, opened the doors, released her more claustrophobic prisoners, and opened the door to the transporters.  
  
In the sickbay, Aidan opened his eyes with the vaguest sense of having been plugged into an electrical socket. Rodney McKay blinked, sat up and looked around.  
  
"Someone go fetch your children." she said over the loud speaker, and then she giggled.  
  
Removing her hand for the first time from the console, Carson watched several small, micro films draw back into her skin, like extra appendages that she had used to latch into the systems. He put that into the back of his mind for later use.  
  
"This was all a test?" he demanded.  
  
26 nodded, standing.  
  
"Carson Beckett, Rodney McKay, I, Unit 26, technical maintenance, have found that you are capable of protecting the Pegasus." she said, and the two doctors looked at each other dubiously.  
  
"Wha'? The entire galaxy?"  
  
"No, the Pegasus, it is the race that created me and my kind, and I believe you worthy of their wealth of knowledge."  
  
"More stuff?" Rodney asked, intrigued.  
  
"Ye said the Wraith killed yer creators."  
  
"They have. That is why I came here. You see, I am their wealth of knowledge."  
  
She watched them share more uncertain looks and then continued.  
  
"And, as that wealth of knowledge, I name the two of you as my personal caretakers."  
  
Oh yeah, this was going to be trouble. 


	9. Confrontation

Disclaimer: Don't own, and now that that's out of the way, I shall take this space to answer my reviews.  
  
Terreis: Yes, the Wrath of Weir is fearsome indeed. Not many survive. You saw what happened to ponytail dude in Thirty eight minutes. I did not see I, Robot, but I intend to. And yes, Jinto is very cool. And please don't drool on the characters, their dry cleaning bill is high enough without salivary glandular stains. Thank you  
  
Major Sheppard: Actually, it's kinda hard to mix McKay up with Daniel, because first, Daniel is much better looking (Sorry McKay) and he gets into trouble more often. Also, That was misinformation, which I explain in Chapter...four, I think. (checks.) chapter six. Six is when I explain my mistake and apologize.  
  
Damion Starr: Yes, thank you, glad you like it.  
  
Jsgal24JAG: I had no intention of killing off any of the characters. Just inflicting pain. ;)  
  
CylentWind: Thank you. I try.  
  
And now, onto the fic.  
  
The Testing of Wills.  
  
Ch. 9  
  
"So ye really don' have a name? Just a number." asked Carson as he and 26 conversed through the force shield that held her in what was cautiously named the brig. She shrugged one shoulder.  
  
"I never really thought of it that way. At least they weren't calling me 'robot'."  
  
The both of them smirked, looking at Rodney, who looked disgusted at how fast the two of them had become bosom buddies.  
  
"Ugh." he groaned, shaking his head.  
  
After everyone had discovered that the danger was over, there was a great turmoil among the people (hmmm. poetic.) and Weir was currently taking care of that. Carson and Rodney, having been named caretakers of their new...'friend', were in charge of making sure she didn't get into any trouble while Weir was taking care of the mob. The children had been retrieved and Jinto had gone to see Carson and Rodney right away, being wary of 26 as well.  
  
"Doctor Beckett!"  
  
"Jinto!" greeted the doctor, and the boy smiled. "Tha' was very brave, wha' you did."  
  
26 looked interested.  
  
"What'd he do?"  
  
"He crawled through the vents and told Weir to listen for me to say self destruct." Carson said. 26 looked at him and gave a small smile.  
  
"Huh, so that's how you did it." she said, in grudging respect. He shrugged. Rodney looked at him, pondering just how close they had come to dying, and all because the girl robot wanted to know if she was capable of protecting her. The thought was disconcerting. She looked at Jinto, nodding. "I bet you'll make a great warrior someday." she said, and Jinto puffed up with pride. Carson shook his head.  
  
Then 26 leaned against the wall and propped her leg on her already bent knee, hands resting behind her head, eyes closed.  
  
"You did god, kid, real good." she said, smirking. She had a mobster voice on now, and Rodney looked at her incredulously. "But as long as I'm around, you'll always be second best, see?"  
  
Carson laughed so hard that for a moment, they thought they may need one of the nurses.  
  
00000000000000000000000000000  
  
Weir came in and found that Carson and Rodney were staring into space, probably bored out of their minds. Rodney was the first to see her.  
  
"Elizabeth. Hey." he said. Looking at 26 he gave a short whistle. "Ready to talk, Bugsy? the Warden's here."  
  
"Never, see?" she said, without opening her eyes. A smirk curled itself into the corner of her mouth, and Weir gave an amused smile.  
  
"So this is our troublemaker?"  
  
"That I am, Elizabeth."  
  
"Well, you know who we are. What's your name?"  
  
"26."  
  
"That's an odd name." responded the director of operations.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Carson chuckled.  
  
"So, the Wraith attacked your planet?"  
  
"That's correct."  
  
"How'd you escape?"  
  
"I accessed the central computer from my cell and downloaded the mainframe into my storage center. Then I opened the door and made my way to the Stargate. First I procured a cloaking device and checked on my brothers and sisters to see if they were okay. Some had already escaped. 28, 17, 3, 2, and 1 I think. The rest were dead or missing. I watched a Wraith attempt to suck energy from 7. She activated her personal self destruct and destroyed it. It was unfortunate that it had not been 13, he could have rebuilt himself. But then she always had been unlucky."  
  
"Like the replicators from our galaxy." said Rodney.  
  
"That's where the Pegasus learned that particular trick. I'm pretty sure that 13 got out okay. He's always had the best luck out of all of us."  
  
"Ironic." Carson put in.  
  
"Yes, I've read your history." 26 said, smirking.  
  
"What next?" asked Weir, getting back on subject  
  
"I tried to find the Pegasus. When I did...I heard something unpleasant. They were discussing giving me to the Wraith. I have the biggest personal self destruct, they wanted to try to blow them all up at once."  
  
Rodney sat up and looked at her, as did Carson.  
  
"What'd you do?" asked Rodney.  
  
"I didn't want to die, so I left. When they attempted to order me to my doom, I deactivated that circuit in my mind, dialing the gate and walking through after programming the Stargate to shut down immediately after I stepped through."  
  
"You can do that?" asked Weir, and 26's eyes opened, looking at her.  
  
"I'm a _robot_."  
  
"Right."  
  
"Anyway, I wound up on a planet, where I followed Sheppard and his team around for a while, and then came back with them. And the rest, as they say is history."  
  
There was silence for a while and the humans mulled the information over in their minds. Then Weir looked at her and furrowed her brow.  
  
"26, why were you in a cell in the first place?"  
  
"I could tell you that it was what our sleeping quarters were called, my no- lying circuit has been deactivated, but it was because I lost my mind."  
  
Rodney raised an eyebrow and looked at Carson, who was sharing the same confused look. Lost her mind? Figuratively or literally? And what exactly did that mean for a robot?  
  
"When you say that, you mean..."  
  
"That I went crazy. I injured 4 a little when he tried to relieve me of my post for the night. I didn't see the point. Robots don't need rest. We just recharge. So when I said no, he tried to remove me by force and I yanked out a handful of circuitry. I went bonkers. Stark raving mad, insane. Pick your idiom. They saw me as a danger, so they locked me up." she said, getting up and stretching.  
  
Weir was still confused as she walked a little closer to the force shield containing the crazy robot.  
  
"Then how'd you get out of your cell?"  
  
"I interfaced with the computer and told it to let me out." she said, smiling, with her shark-like teeth. Weir's eyebrows shot upwards in shock.  
  
"You mean that you could have freed yourself at anytime from this and you _haven't_?" asked the shocked astrophysicist. 26 shrugged.  
  
"If that's not a gesture to be taken in good faith, I don't know what is." she said. "I really wasn't going to hurt you. I just wanted to see how far you would go to defeat an enemy."  
  
"Ye could have asked." Carson suggested, and 26 shook her head, the smile disappearing.  
  
"I had to be absolutely, one-hundred-percent-without-a-shade-of-a-doubt sure." she responded. "If you hadn't given it your all, I would have simply opened the wormhole back to your planet and sent you through with orders to come back when you were ready to make every sacrifice to stop an enemy." she explained. Weir stared, incredulously. at the young girl robot's revelation.  
  
"So this really was just a test?"  
  
"Yes." she affirmed. Then, as an afterthought, "Sorry if I alarmed you."  
  
"What about Aidan?"  
  
"Suspended sleep." she said. "When he mixed the technology and water, the shock went through him like usual, but also sent very clear images to his brain, and if I didn't send a wireless signal to keep him asleep, he would have ruined the test. He woke up right after I announced that you had passed the test, unharmed except for a minor headache."  
  
"There you are!"  
  
Major Sheppard stormed into the brig and stood face to shield with the robot who had scared so many people.  
  
"**You're** the one responsible for this mess." he said, low and threatening.  
  
"Yes." 26 answered, leaning her hand against the side of the cell. Carson watched her carefully and was disturbed to notice that her fingers had begun to pulse lightly.  
  
"You have brought on mass mayhem, people want to leave because of you. Do you have _any_ idea what that means for this community?" he growled. She still remained stoic, looking him in the eye.  
  
"Less chance of a completely beneficial alliance with other civilizations who are friends with the Athosians. And even less chance of you being more than friends with---"  
  
"_Hey_!" Rodney said, interrupting her. She and Sheppard looked at him. "26. let's not discuss peoples' love lives, okay?"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Cause it's rude and I asked you not to." Rodney replied. She rolled her eyes and then looked at Sheppard.  
  
"You're rude, and I don't like you."  
  
"I—_**I'm**_ rude?" he asked, incredulously.  
  
"Yes. I tested you, you won, it's over, and you're in here yelling at me for something that's past. You could learn a lot from your Buddhist monks." she said. He stared at her, open mouthed, while Weir, Rodney and Carson shared looks and noticed that Sheppard was not noticing how badly the force shield was fritzing. Rodney looked at Weir and she shook her head, actually curious as to how this was going to play out. "You're pretty tough when there's a force field between us, I wonder just how brave you'd be if I turned it off."  
  
And with that, the shield shut down completely, and she smiled at him, red- orange eyes glinting mischievously.  
  
A/N: muahahahahaha. I think it's plain to see that Sheppard and 26 don't like each other. Also, she gets a name in later chapters, so start suggesting, people. The name I like the best is the one she'll get. 


	10. Interaction

Disclaimer: Will she be accepted? Will they vote to send her away? What is this, Survivor? Wouldn't you like to know?  
  
The Testing of Wills.  
  
Ch. 10  
  
Major Sheppard recovered three days later, and under direct orders from Weir, he and 26 were civil to each other. She had apologized profusely and in several ways, all of them cultural. She and Doctor Beckett got along swimmingly, and she happily discussed her brethren with him. It seemed that the Pegasus liked variety in their servants, because that's what they were, and had programmed each with unique abilities and skills.  
  
26 had been specifically built to maintain systems and erase viruses and the like. It was easily understandable how she had hacked so easily into their systems.  
  
McKay sometimes joined them, but mostly he was nervous that something he said would set her off and he'd find himself in the fetal position in severe pain.  
  
It took a while for people to get used to the concept of 26, and they still found it strange that her name was a number. When they finally realized that she really, really, really, really meant them no harm, they started to loosen up slightly.  
  
"Good morning, 26." greeted Aidan. She looked up from the console, a slight 'deer-in-highlights' look on her face, and then she smiled kindly when she saw him.  
  
"Good morning, Aidan Ford." she greeted, chirpily. He smiled and then went to report in. Even though he'd technically never left the 'office', he still had to report in and punch out.  
  
Weir walked in, hair still slightly wet from her shower, and looked around.  
  
"Where's Rodney?" she asked, and 26 checked before smirking.  
  
"Sleeping. His alarm clock's been deactivated." she said. Weir looked at her and she tilted her head. "I could wake him if you'd like."  
  
"Alright, but be gentle."  
  
"Yes, Elizabeth." she said. She liked to use their names. Partly because she didn't have one of her own. Mostly because they were so nice to say. They were different.  
  
She set about waking Rodney. Be gentle...sure, she could do that.  
  
00000000000000000000000000000  
  
"Rodney."  
  
He moaned and rolled over, pulling the pillow with him.  
  
"Five more minutes." he mumbled.  
  
"'Fraid not, doctor McKay." The lights turned on and the windows opened, letting in the brisk morning air. "Rise and shine." came 26's cheerful voice. He opened his eyes and scowled.  
  
"I will rise, but I refuse to shine." he muttered. She chuckled.  
  
"You're late. Come on, get up."  
  
"Alright, alright." he gave in, and sat up. then he paused. "You're not still watching, are you?" When he got no answer, he nodded and got up, getting dressed. 26, who had indeed been listening, but not watching, resisted the urge to do a catcall at him, as she feared it might give him gray hairs. He would never forgive her for that.  
  
When he arrived in the gate room, she nodded greetings and actually glanced at him as he sat at his station next to her.  
  
"Slept well I hope?" she asked.  
  
"Oh shut up." he replied, and she smirked, disengaging herself from the console.  
  
"All files checked and rechecked, updated, and checked again, Elizabeth Weir." she announced.  
  
"Thank you, 26." acknowledged Weir. 26 nodded and gathered her stuff from the console. Most of it was food. She used the nutrients and everything else to power her systems.  
  
"You really need a name." Rodney muttered, and she chuckled, leaving for the sick bay, where she was helping Carson study the arm that had been severed from a Wraith in their initial strike against Athosia. They were attempting to figure out how they drew energy from a person.  
  
"Morning, Doctor Beckett."  
  
"Morning, 26."  
  
"Anything new?"  
  
"I wish."  
  
The two of them got to work and 26 looked forward to another day of interesting conversation and amusing interaction between herself and Major Sheppard. 


	11. Welcome?

Disclaimer: Getting very few name suggestions here, people....this could be due to the fact that these are posted only hours apart.  
  
The Testing of Wills  
  
Ch. 11  
  
26 walked around the halls at night, looking at her new home. It was so different than the base built by the Pegasus. And she felt so...alien. Alone almost. She was the only one of them who didn't need any sleep. It kinda freaked them out and she felt lonelier for this fear. None of them wanted to get too close to the crazy robot. She might kill them on accident or something.  
  
They feared her. And what was worse, their fears were well founded. She had attacked 4 for reasons she could not understand. And he was no longer. She didn't just injure him, he had died by her mechanically enhanced hands. She had invaded his mind and shut down his central cortex.  
  
It was murder without reason. She felt cold whenever she thought about it, and shivered, holding herself.  
  
Turning a corner, she walked through a door as it opened and found herself outside, walking without a purpose, trying to block out the memory of 4's death. He had attacked her, she had retaliated, and she had gone too far.  
  
She shivered again, huddling to herself.  
  
"I didn't think robots could get cold." came a voice from behind her, and she turned her head to see Major Sheppard. He did not look like he was in the mood for fighting, and she certainly wasn't.  
  
"When you touch a sheet of metal that's been in the snow, do your hands freeze?" she asked. He nodded, and she returned to looking back out at the ocean.  
  
"Good point."  
  
"I'm full of 'em, John Sheppard."  
  
She stood with her arms resting on the railing, and her chin resting on her arms. Sheppard stood next to her, leaning against the railing as well, elbows resting comfortably on the smooth surface.  
  
"I came out here to think." he said, by way of explaining how they were both out in the same place at night. "I couldn't get to sleep."  
  
"I don't." she replied. He raised an eyebrow at her.  
  
"Don't what?"  
  
"Sleep, I don't sleep. I'm a robot. The only time I'm ever unconscious is for check-ups." she said. He nodded.  
  
"And who's going to be doing those now that you're away from your people?" he asked. She shrugged, still not looking at him. She was trying to spot life. A bird, a sea serpent, anything.  
  
"Rodney." she said.  
  
"Well, good. He's a...very capable guy." Major Sheppard sounded lame when he didn't know what to say.  
  
"He'd be shocked to hear you say that." she replied, never at a loss for words, even when the conversation well was running dry.  
  
"Hey, don't get me wrong, the guy's a dork. But, uh...he's saved my butt a couple times now."  
  
"Gee, thanks." came a sarcastic remark from one side. The two of them looked to see Rodney as he casually walked over and then leaned against the railing on the other side of 26. "What are you two still doing up, anyway?" he asked, lamely.  
  
"Couldn't sleep."  
  
"I don't sleep."  
  
"Oh."  
  
There was a brief silence and then the two of them looked at Rodney, suspiciously.  
  
"What's your excuse?" asked Sheppard, and Rodney looked at the two of them.  
  
"My mind wouldn't stop thinking long enough for me to sleep." he said, and the others 'hmm'-ed in response.  
  
There was a heavy silence for a long while as the three of them stood there, looking out at the ever changing waters. It was a peaceful interaction, one that they really hadn't had since her arrival. She liked it. It was nice.  
  
"Nice night," she said, sighing.  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Well, We should at least try to get some sleep." Rodney said. The others nodded, and Major Sheppard mumbled good night before going off, and Rodney looked at 26, who hadn't moved. He looked at her for a long moment and she closed her eyes lazily.  
  
"I don't sleep, Rodney, it would be pointless for me to try." she said at last. He nodded thoughtfully for a moment.  
  
"You still need to recharge." he said. She smirked.  
  
"Gotta power bar on ya?" she asked, and he smirked too, shaking his head.  
  
"Don't stay out all night, 26." he said, and she nodded.  
  
"Yes, Rodney."  
  
0000000000000000000000000  
  
It was a couple days later that it happened. 26, Rodney, Teyla, Aidan, and Weir were in the gate room, and Sheppard was on his way, when the Stargate powered up. 26 looked at it and raised an eyebrow. Huh, that was strange, none of their three teams were off-world right now, they were just sifting through the Ancients' technology.  
  
"Incoming wormhole!"  
  
"Close the iris." ordered Weir and Rodney did so. 26 thought nothing of it, and then froze, red-orange eyes opening wide.  
  
"Oh my god!!" she yelled, and everyone looked at her to see she was smiling. She disconnected from the computer, pushed the button that opened the iris, and then jumped over the computer, taking off for the wormhole. Everyone was confused, especially Weir, but she motioned for Rodney to wait.  
  
Through the wormhole stepped a young man of about seventeen. He was wearing the same type of clothes that 26 had been wearing when she first arrived, and even though his hair was blueberry blue and he had white eyes, nobody was paying much attention to him.  
  
26 looked different. As she ran, she became taller, and her short hair grew out to about the middle of her back. She looked like she had grown five years in twenty seconds.  
  
With a laugh of joy, she hurled herself at this newcomer, and he caught her, spinning her around for a moment before holding her at arms length.  
  
"26, wow. Didn't expect to see you here." he said, a smile gracing his chiseled features.  
  
"I know! It's great to see you too! Wow, you were almost frepcallim, they had the barrier up. Good thing I got your transmission." she gushed, and then they hugged each other again, laughing. "Man, I never thought I'd see any of you again."  
  
"When you escaped, we all said, 'I'm outta here.'" he said.  
  
"Excuse me, I hate to break up this wonderful moment of reunion, but may I ask, who the hell are you?"  
  
26 let go of her new friend and looked at Weir and Rodney.  
  
"Sorry, Rodney, Elizabeth." she apologized. "Guys! _This is 13_!"  
  
A/N: cool huh? this story aint over yet. keep suggesting names, people, I want her to have a suitable one by the end of this story.  
  
frepcallim – rough translation- bug on a windshield 


	12. Complications again

Disclaimer: NOT MINE! Well, except for the plot and the robots.  
  
The Testing of Wills.  
  
Ch. 12  
  
"So, yeh're the one tha' can rebuild yerself, right?" asked Beckett, as he inspected 26's new friend. It might have been coincidence, but he sounded...uptight. Like someone had spiked his coffee with mustard or something.  
  
"That's right." 13 said, tilting his head. 26 was standing nearby, smiling happily. She looked seventeen or eighteen now, and this confused everyone.  
  
"And ye can...change yer physical appearance?" he asked 26. She shrugged.  
  
"The Pegasus tried me out for stealth so that they could learn more about other cultures, but that was right before I was declared unstable." she explained.  
  
"Right," Beckett said, still mystified. "So how old are you realy?"  
  
"About three hundred years old." she answered. He stopped checking out 13's more fascinating aspects and looked at her.  
  
"Yeh're serious." he said and she nodded. He shook his head. "Incredible."  
  
"Isn't it though?" she giggled. "Anyway, I gotta go see Rodney." she said. "Se ya later, Carson."  
  
"Right, don' forget." he called after her. She laughed.  
  
"She's a robot. We don't forget anything." 13 said. Carson nodded.  
  
00000000000000000000000000000  
  
Once out of sight and hearing range, 26 picked up the pace and ran through the halls, back towards the old laboratory. She needed something that she had found there when she first moved in.  
  
She remembered 13, alright.  
  
All too well.  
  
After they had first become aware, 26 and 13 had formed a personal alliance. They had been, in human terms, lovers, for almost three hundred years. Then something happened, something that she had been forced to forget. Since then, 13 had become distant. and after she had killed 4, she hadn't seen him at all. He probably figured that the loss of one memory in conjunction with the attack of the Wraith had driven all bad memories of him out of her mind.  
  
But she had the distinct feeling that he was going to try to do something to hurt her new friends. She had to stop him. He was a robot, who else was capable?  
  
00000000000000000000000000000  
  
"So, this is your Portal control?" asked 13. Rodney nodded.  
  
"Yes, but we call it a Stargate." he said, shrugging. 26 came into the room and saw that 13 was standing at the controls and took a deep breath, walking towards him. Rodney saw her and smiled. "Hey, 26." he greeted.  
  
"Hey, Rodney." she replied, happily. She waved at Weir, who nodded in return. Then she looked back at 13. "Hello again, 13."  
  
"So, you work here now?" he asked, point blank. She nodded.  
  
"Yes. I make sure that nothing's going to take over the computer, like a virus or something." she said, nonchalantly. He nodded.  
  
"And if someone attacks, like the Wraith for example?"  
  
"They don't. But if they did, I have authorization to blow them all to hell." she said, cheerfully. He looked concerned, but she simply smiled at him with her sharp teeth. Major Sheppard and Lieutenant Ford, along with Teyla and Jinto had met 13, and they were polite, but it was plain for 26 to see that they were just as wary of him as she was, despite her warm welcome.  
  
She spent the rest of the day showing him around the city, discreetly avoiding all areas of importance. She showed him to a room that he would be recharging in and then went to go see Doctor Beckett, because it was Wednesday, and they always had their talks on Wednesday. No doubt he was going to ask all about 13.  
  
26 kinda liked Carson. He was...nice. He treated her like a person. Rodney was nice, but he was mostly fascinated with finding out what made her tick.  
  
"Good evening, 26." greeted Carson, as she walked in to see him setting up the chess board and a couple chairs. She shook her head at this gesture. He couldn't possibly beat her, but there he was, never giving up. "Up for a game? I know I'll beat ye one o' these days."  
  
And she smiled, walking in and taking a seat across from him.  
  
"That's what you think, doctor."  
  
00000000000000000000000000000  
  
It was the middle of the night, and Weir was still up, reading. She liked to read at night, it was the only time that nobody bothered her.  
  
And so, of course, it was this one time when every alarm in the city went off, alerting them to the fact that someone was trying to dial out through the Stargate.  
  
Everyone who was qualified ran to the gate room, and so did some who weren't.  
  
"What happened? What's going on?" demanded Sheppard, as he caught up to Elizabeth. He wasn't dressed and neither was she, they were in their pajamas still, but nobody seemed to notice.  
  
"I don't know, I'd like to find that out myself." she said, as they walked into the gate room to see that the Stargate was wide open. As they rushed forward to see where it was gating to, they saw something that startled all of them.  
  
26 and 13 were on the ground in front of the open gate, and 26's hands were wrapped around 13's head.  
  
Neither were moving.  
  
A/N: Dun dun DUNNNNNN! Oh dear, what is this? Surely it's just a lover's quarrel? Yes? No? No, probably not. 13's up to something. Can 26 stop him (dare I say it) before it's too late? (Excuse me whilst I procure some wine to go with this cheese.) And keep those names a-comin' peeps! 


	13. Die to save

Disclaimer: not mine. Bleargh  
  
The Testing of Wills  
  
Ch. 13  
  
"What's happening?" asked Rodney, as he walked in, pulling his jacket on over his tee-shirt and jeans. When he saw the two robots, he froze, and then went to the nearest console, hitting the intercom  
  
"Carson, wake up, you might have a couple patients here." he said, and then there was a fritzing sound.  
  
"No." everyone's eyes opened wide. That was 26's voice. She sounded an odd mixture of calm and frantic. "Carson, stay where you are."  
  
"26?" called Rodney, loudly.  
  
"Rodney. I need you to push us through the gate." she said. Weir looked alarmed.  
  
"I can't allow that!" she said. There was a chuckle of sarcasm.  
  
"Oh, well, okay. The I guess I'll just blow his self destruct and we will all die." she said, the edge in her voice undeniable. Weir hesitated for a second and then nodded. Rodney and Major Sheppard went over to the two robots and rolled them through the gate. They almost lost their hands, pulling them back just in time to have the gate shut down on them. They looked at each other and then Rodney fainted. Sheppard started to roll his eyes and then looked down at his clenched hands. One of them was bleeding.  
  
Reaching down, Sheppard pried open the bleeding hand and looked up at Weir.  
  
"Medic!"  
  
Rodney was missing his pinky.  
  
00000000000000000000000000000  
  
On the other side, 26 rolled them both away from the event horizon, still latched onto 13, her mechanical interface wires digging deep into his metal skull to keep a hold on him.  
  
-You bastard.-  
  
She heard laughter as she probed his central cortex. All 30 units had a personal code that they would enter into their mainframe that would cause their personal bombs to blow up. Hers was the biggest, but 13's came a close second.  
  
She had decoded five of the numbers before it became apparent that they were not alone. She opened her eyes and watery visions of the Wraith appeared. Realization dawned on her.  
  
-You were going to sell Atlantis to the Wraith.- she accused. There was even more laughter in her head. Crazy, maniacal laughter. Her eyes closed again. -You sold the Pegasus, didn't you?-  
  
-They were fools to think that they could control us. he spat at her mind. I thought you would agree-- -  
  
Flashes of her past appeared before her eyes. She was arguing with 13. Just a flash, then it was gone.  
  
- --But your sense of nobility blinded you to the slavery that we were in. I made you forget.-  
  
More flashes, of her and him, in the same situation but reversed. She had screamed, but the machinery had covered that. No one was the wiser for her misfortune.  
  
-Most of the others were just as blind. It got poor 7 killed, didn't it, this nobility that you two shared. You two sisters.-  
  
She had seven numbers now, and the Wraiths were marching towards them. She looked at them and saw that in the lead was a Wraith that had been in the room when 7 had self destructed. He looked none the worse for wear.  
  
More flashes. Of 7 this time.  
  
_"26!" called 7 as the base shook around them. 26, covered with soot and ash from the ceiling looked at her and smiled. She was getting out of here with her sister. Then she watched with horror as a Wraith latched onto her from behind. She screamed.  
  
"7!"_  
  
Nine numbers, just one more.  
  
-And then of course was 4. You two had been friends for nearly three centuries. I imagine it hurt when you killed him. But it was for the best. After all, if you hadn't killed him, he would have killed you. That would have been a shame.-  
  
26's eyes watered.  
  
-You told him to kill me?-  
  
-I convinced him that it was in our best interests.-  
  
The Wraith were almost close enough to touch now, and 26's hands tightened on 13's face as she found all ten of his numbers.  
  
-Good-bye, 13.- she said to him, green tears falling from her red-orange eyes. They splattered on his face and he opened his eyes. A part of him that hadn't been used for a long time woke up.  
  
-You'll die too.- he protested, and he lifted his hand, placing it on top of hers. He encountered a green, fluxuating barrier. Then he understood.  
  
And then, ten numbers were force-fed to his central cortex, and there was a loud clicking noise before a prolonged whir.  
  
-Good-bye...-  
  
There was a shockwave before the blast, and her shield took the brunt of it before the palms of her hands, which were touching his face, melted away, and she screamed again, for the second time in her life. But again, it was drowned out by the tremendous roar of the blast that emanated from 13.  
  
The Wraith disintegrated, even as they were blown backwards. Their ships were destroyed, and so was most of the terrain. Of all the things in their immediate area, the Stargate was the only thing, aside from 26, that was left standing.  
  
The blast eventually dissipated, and 26, who's hands were beyond repair, sank to her knees in the ash that was once the person she loved more than life itself.  
  
She became less aware.  
  
Things in her mind became less clear.  
  
She forgot for a very long time.  
  
And then she fell asleep.  
  
In her mind, she heard these parting words, which she also forgot.  
  
-...I should have remembered how much you loved me...enough to die for me...and enough to kill me...accept this last gift...26...-  
  
And as she slept, parts of 13 that had fused to her skin began to slowly regenerate her hands.  
  
A/N: Heh, heh, that was cheesy, I know, but, he had to go, and I thought this was the best way to do it. Anyway, you have one more chapter (maybe) before I give her a name. So suggest, people, suggest. 


	14. Who am I?

Disclaimer: I don't own anything about Stargate except this particular plot and those characters that have not been introduced in the regular series.  
  
The Testing of Wills.  
  
Ch. 14  
  
"...Rodney..."  
  
The astrophysicist's eyes fluttered open and he looked at the bright lights, blinking repeatedly as his eyes adjusted.  
  
"Nnngh..." he groaned. "My hand hurts." he murmured. A few of the people hovering over him fidgeted. Aidan shrugged.  
  
"That's cause your pinky got cut off by the Stargate." he said, point blank. The others looked aghast that he could just come out and say that. He shrugged again. "He was gonna notice sooner or later." he defended. Weir shook her head and looked down at her friend.  
  
"You're going to be fine, Rodney. You'll just have to type a little more carefully from now on." she said. He nodded, noticing that his movements were sluggish, and that his mouth tasted cottony.  
  
"Wha..." he cleared his throat and tried to sit up but failed. "What am I...o-on?" he asked, lying back down again because of the pain in his hand and the vertigo he'd just underwent when he tried to sit up.  
  
"Painkillers, m'friend." came the reply from the doctor. Only it was distorted, and he could barely make it out.  
  
"So that's why it's so hard to think straight." he mumbled. "Goin' back asleep now."  
  
And he did.  
  
There was a silence for a moment and then Carson looked at the others.  
  
"Did anabody happen t'catch the address tha' they gated to?" he asked. They all looked at each other and then looked at Rodney, who was drooling slightly on the hospital pillow.  
  
"I saw where they went."  
  
They all turned to see Jinto, who looked eager to help.  
  
00000000000000000000000000000  
  
"The atmosphere is breathable, Doctor Weir, but it looks as if there's been some kind of explosion. The ground is covered with ash, and the air's a bit thick, but it should be alright for a team to go there." said Chevron dude. Weir nodded.  
  
"Alright, people, we have a go." she said. Sheppard, Ford, and Teyla nodded and stepped towards the gate, checking their vests and weapons.  
  
"Wait!"  
  
They all turned towards the door to see Carson.  
  
In his suit.  
  
The one that he was supposed to be saving for off-world medical emergencies. He was carrying a medical kit. Everybody stared at him.  
  
"Dr. Beckett, what are you doing?" asked Weir. He looked at her.  
  
"I'm goin' along in case she needs medical attention." he said, lamely. The team shared knowing looks and Weir hesitated before nodding.  
  
"Alright."  
  
Beckett nodded his thanks and then turned back to the wormhole, following Major Sheppard's team. He paused right at the event horizon before exhaling completely and stepping through.  
  
On the other side, he immediately took a deep breath in and began coughing. The air was indeed thick with ash, and it agitated his throat as he tried to breath. The others were suffering the same fate.  
  
"Well this looks like a disaster area." Major Sheppard choked out.  
  
"Aye," Carson agreed. "Do ye see her?"  
  
"No, not yet."  
  
"Major! Over here!" called Ford, from where he and Teyla were standing. The major motioned for Beckett to stay put and walked off to see what the problem was. Beckett looked around and saw something move.  
  
Curious, he looked over at Major Sheppard to call him, but he was too busy looking at something with Teyla and Ford. So, alone, he started walking towards this moving object.  
  
When he walked a little closer, he saw that the something looked more and more like a body. Hopes high, he took off at a run through the five inch thick ash that covered the entire surrounding area. A few yards away, he stopped, suddenly afraid that it might be 13 instead of 26.  
  
"Nngh..." moaned the body in question, and Becket sighed in relief, kneeling next to her.  
  
"Major Sheppard!" he called. "Come quickly! I've found her!"  
  
Then he turned back to her, brushing ash off of her face and arms as the others came running.  
  
"She's okay?" asked Aidan.  
  
"She's alive," answered Beckett. Teyla knelt down next to her and gently picked up one of 26's hands in her own.  
  
"By the ancestors," she gasped, looking down in horror at the charred and melted remains of 26's palms. Sheppard picked up her other hand and saw it was much the same way.  
  
"She must have been hooked into him, even as he was exploding." he mused.  
  
"Then why is she still intact?" asked Ford. Beckett put his arms under her to get her up on her feet and his hand brushed something on her hip. Picking it up, he saw it was the shield device that Rodney wore to protect him from the cloud thing. They looked at each other and smiled in relief.  
  
"She knew this was goin' t'happen." Beckett said  
  
He sighed again and tucked the shield into his pocket, starting as both Teyla and Sheppard dropped 26's hands and cursed.  
  
"Wha'?" he asked, as both warriors backed away, consequently covering themselves in ash. "Wha' happened?"  
  
"Her hands are growing back." squeaked Sheppard. Carson lifted her hand, palm up, to see that the flesh and the interface nodes were in fact regenerating. He thought about it for a moment, and then watched as her hands healed up entirely, the nodes sinking back into her skin as he held it.  
  
"If she was holdin' onto 13 when he exploded, it would make sense tha' some of his parts got fused t'hers. She said he could regenerate if there was some part of him left. Maybe tha' is now a part of her programmin'." he offered. Major Sheppard looked wary of this theory, but nodded and slowly approached the robot girl, who was filthy from head to toe.  
  
And then her eyes opened. She looked at them, studying all of them for a long ten seconds with her red-orange eyes. Her light brown, almost hazel colored hair was tangled and snarled, but she seemed not to notice as she turned her head to see them all.  
  
"Hello," she said, almost shyly. Carson looked confused, and then looked away, as if deeply saddened that she didn't, or perhaps couldn't remember him. "Who are you?"  
  
There was silence for a moment, and then Teyla laid a hand on 26's shoulder.  
  
"My name is Teyla. This is Lieutenant Aidan Ford and Major John Sheppard."  
  
"Hi," said Aidan.  
  
"Hey," greeted Sheppard.  
  
"And I'm Carson Beckett. I'm a doctor." said the Scot. She nodded.

"Oh. Cool." she said. This utterly human phrase caused them to look at each other with a small sense of hope. Perhaps she was not all gone. "And, um...wha-what's my name?" she asked.  
  
This time the pause was much longer, but Carson placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and smiled at her.  
  
"It's alright. You took qui'e a blow t'the head. It'll probably take ye a few days t'get yer memories in order. Yeh're name is...Kedawen. Kedawen Sheppard. John's yer older brother." he said. John, who was totally unprepared for such an announcement, recovered quickly and nodded when she looked at him.  
  
"I'm glad you're alright...sis."  
  
"Oh...me too." she said, and then looked around. "How'd I get here?"  
  
"No' all at once, m'dear." said the doctor, in a mildly chastising voice. She nodded. "Le's ge' ye back home, shall we?"  
  
He helped her to her feet and she leaned on him, holding her head.  
  
They dialed the gate and Sheppard sent the GDO back before Beckett led 26...Kedawen up to the event horizon.  
  
"What's this?" she asked, looking at the rippling water effect with a sense of apprehension. He chuckled.  
  
"It's called a Stargate. It's a portal between two worlds." he explained, gently.  
  
"Oh...How's it work?"  
  
"You step through and appear on the other side." he answered. "Simple as that."  
  
"Okay." she nodded, still looking warily at the thing, and they stepped through together.  
  
On the other side, she looked around in amazement, and he had to grab her quickly as she almost fell down, crying out in surprise. Doctor Weir and Jinto came running up to welcome her back, but before they could say anything, Dr. Beckett spoke up.  
  
"Dr. Weir, li'l Jinto. I'm sure ye remember Kedawen Sheppard. Careful, she hit her head pretty hard, can' remember much," he said, nodding slightly. Weir hid her confusion and stopped Jinto from talking by putting a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Welcome back, Kedawen."  
  
"Um...thank you?"  
  
"C'mon, then, yeh've been through a lo'. Le's go have a lie-down in the infirmary." Carson suggested. Kedawen looked at him, biting her lip before nodding.  
  
"You look...familiar." she said, uncertainly.  
  
"Oh, good, some of yeh're memories are resurfacing." he said, as they walked. She held her head.  
  
"It's such a mess." she sighed. He nodded. They walked in silence towards the infirmary, while Carson wondered what he would tell her when she started remembering and came to ask him the more difficult questions.  
  
Like how Rodney lost his pinky.  
  
A/N: TA DA!!!!!! there, now she has a name. I'm so cool. And modest. Anyway, so now you all have to remember, it's Kedawen Sheppard. Not 26 anymore, and she's forgotten mostly everything. She's still kind of aware of the fact that she's a machine, though.


	15. Explanations and cake

Disclaimer:

The Testing of Wills.

Ch. 15

It had been three weeks since Kedawen's return and acquisition of amnesia, and she had since had flashes of her life before. She had told them to Carson over their games of chess, which she always won. Small memories here and there, mostly of her robot family. A smile, a laugh, a drink shared between two friends (Yes...they drink).

"I had another vision." she said, lazily taking Carson's queen.

"Really?" he asked, studying the chessboard for a moment.

"Mm. It was different. None of the same characters."

Kedawen had developed a skewed sense of reality. Memories were visions or dreams. She spoke mostly in riddles, and she only half understood some concepts, such as trust, the circle of life, and certain feminine biologistics.

"Oh? Who was in it this time?"

"You. Rodney. Elizabeth...brother John." she said, as he moved his rook into check.

"Check." he said. "Wha' was happenin'?"

"John was yelling. He was very angry." she answered, not bothering to save her king but moving her bishop three spaces away from Carson's king. "Checkmate."

"Aw, ye wicked..." he half cursed. She giggled and he started resetting the pieces. "Wha' else?"

"There was a wall between me and John. A green..." she searched for a word. "...electric wall."

Carson froze, looking at Kedawen, halfway through resetting the pieces. His look was that of someone unsure whether to be happy or cautious.

"Like a force field?"

She nodded slowly. Carson remembered the first time Kedawen had ever met John. It had been brash and, for John, very painful. She had shut off the containment field and there had been a scuffle between the two of them, resulting in a three day visit to the hospital for John.

She was looking at him now, and he wondered what she was thinking.

"Wha' is it?"

"Chess. So many games, before and after..."

--- "_So, doctor...what exactly is it about my beating you at chess that you love so much?" laughter._ ---

--- _"What do you think of Major Sheppard?"_

_"John? What, you mean aside from the fact that he's gone totally gaga for Teyla?" a chuckle. "He's like an older brother. Loveable, but annoying, and he never lets ya have any fun."_ ---

"Keda?" asked Carson. She blinked at him and then sat up straight.

"I have twenty-eight siblings." she said, and Carson blinked, floored by that statement. "Brother John isn't one of them."

Carson groaned, knowing that this was going to be a long night, full of explanations.

0000000000000000000000000

McKay sleepily opened his door in his pajamas to see Kedawen standing there, holding a rather sizeable cake and looking extremely upset.

"K-Keda?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.

"I'm sorry I turned on the lights!" she blurted, moving past him.

"Lights?" Rodney watched her, still confused, and then looked back to see Carson standing there, also watching her. He seemed more bemused and slightly tired, than anything. McKay abandoned all hopes for sleep and waved him in, noticing that although Carson was covered in flour, eggs and other baking goods, Keda was impossibly clean, as usual.

He looked up at the ceiling, where the lights were still off. The only light in the room came from a lamp that he had brought with him.

"There's no lights on. Carson what is she talking about?"

"She remembered tha' John's no' her real brother, so then she wanted me to explain **everything**. I go' as far as when she paralyzed ye when she decided she needed t' apologize." sighed the doctor. McKay let this information infiltrate his brain and then looked at the cake that Keda was cutting into slices.

"Is that...chocolate?" he asked, and Keda nodded absently, taking the plates that Carson was carrying. Rodney sat down at his little table and let the smell of freshly baked cake waft to him. Then he thought of something. "Wait...we have MRE's, where's you find the materials to make a cake this big?"

"The computer told me how." was his response, and when he looked at Carson, the doctor held up his hand and looked meaningfully at Keda. She still didn't realize that nobody else could interface with Atlantis the way she could. He nodded, picking up the fork that Keda sat down next to him.

She watched him studiously as he carefully maneuvered the fork with his right hand. The one that was missing the pinky. He had told her that he'd reached under a knife for a vegetable, and she'd bought it, but he knew that sooner or later, she'd be back in the right state of mind to know that it hadn't happened like that.

"Oh, wow." he said, leaning back a little with this goofy little smile on his face. "Oh yeah. Carson, have you tried this?"

"I had some batter when she wasn' lookin'." nodded the doctor. Keda looked at him and scowled a little. Not angrily, just because of that little revelation (besides, she saw him do it).

"Here, have some fully cooked." he offered, reaching for another plate. Keda looked confused.

"But.." she started, and he froze. She looked confused. "I made it for you."

"Well, yes, of course, Keda, I realize that. But this is just too good not to share. Half the fun of having a cake this size is sharing it with a couple of close friends. Come on, you can have some too. Gotta keep your energy levels up."

Carson tilted his head and made a cooing noise.

"Aw, tha's very touchin' Rodney." he said. Rodney smiled.

"Thank you Carson." he replied, but Carson wasn't finished.

"I take i' your Tahitian twins couldn' visi'?" he asked, mockingly, nodding to the calendar on Rodney's wall. Rodney rolled his eyes and gave a mock laugh.

"Very funny."

"I though' so." Carson retorted as Keda set a piece of cake down in front of him and served herself some as well.

They talked well into the morning, mostly about what happened from the time that Keda arrived to the time that she lost her memory, and she listened intently, eating, and only inputting when she felt it appropriate.

And as Carson and Rodney watched her eat piece after piece of a really tasty chocolate cake, the reason for the size of it became apparent. It was quite possible that, subconsciously she realized that they'd be sharing the cake at some point.

So, she was smart...way smarter than they would ever be. She was pretty, and even though she'd lost her mind, she was still pretty damn appealing. And, realizing that each other was thinking the same thing, Carson and Rodney knew it was only a matter of time before they started competing over the simplest things.

Like school children after the Swedish foreign exchange student.

They sighed, deciding to enjoy this little time of peace while they could. It was going to get very unfriendly for a while.

A/N: THE END!!! That's right! I'm finished!! HA!!! Everybody stay tuned for future installments, And I'll let you know what they're called. Until next time.


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